Headout: November of the Penguins

Meet the new penguinarium’s coolest residents.

The penguins have come home to roost at the Oregon Zoo.
After two years of shivering next to the polar bear exhibit (“They could
definitely hear the bears through the walls,” says birdkeeper Mary Jo
Andersen), the zoo’s 16 Humboldt penguins returned to find their
penguinarium has a new water- and air-filtration system. We talked to
birdkeepers Andersen, Gwen Harris and Melissa Arnold about the
personalities of these South American birds.

The Ambassador

Mochica (No. 7, above)

Mochica is the charming, sexually
ambiguous penguinarium greeter. The 20-year-old elder statesman was
originally thought to be female because he was both small and
submissive, hence his name. Mochica is a lifelong celibate because he
identifies himself more with people. A bit of a foot fetishist, the tiny
bird might hump your shoe—something zookeepers call a “boothug.”
Reportedly, he’s even had relations with one of Gov. John Kitzhaber’s
cowboy boots.

How you know him: A black armband on his right wing says “Chica.” This year he also molted funny, so his feathers are uneven.

The Jock

Mojito (10)

Mojito is the bruiser of the bunch. The
6-year-old scored his current mate, Bonita, by picking up her former
mate and dumping him into the water. It’s kind of like what Bluto keeps
doing to Popeye before the spinach. His big cranium looks like a helmet,
and his gun show is so impressive that zoo staff couldn’t fit the
standard ID band around his girthy flippers.

How you know him: He’s the tallest and biggest, with a crazy melon of a head. He also has a blue zip tie around his right flipper.

The Bling Enthusiast

Vivo (2)

Vivo is one of the youngest birds at 5
years old, and she can’t help it: She’s way into shinies. Yes, the birds
can see you just fine through the penguinarium glass, and if you’ve got
those old-school Nikes with the heels that light up, Vivo will kiss the
glass with her beak. Don’t be too flattered: She also chases water from
hoses. “When she sees motion,” says senior birdkeeper Gwen Harris, “she
probably just thinks you’re a fish.”

How you know her: Prominent white freckles on her cheeks and a left black armband that says “Vivo.”

Big Mama

Hermosa (15)

Penguins live only about 20 years in the
wild, but Hermosa is a feisty 28. She’s half-blind and probably batshit
crazy, and the other penguins let her do whatever the hell she wants, up
to and including snatching their fish.

How you know her: A black band on her left flipper says “h’mosa.” (Female penguins have left bands, males right.)

Headout Picks

DEATH GRIPS[MUSIC] The modernist hip-hop trio is known best lately for subversive moves like posting its third album, No Love Deep Web,
for free online, a stunt that got it dropped from Epic Records, but at
least Death Grips has the talent to back up its antics. The trio’s dark,
vicious sound bears the marks of Zach Hill’s experimentalist history
and a love for electronic music’s freakier output. Star Theater, 13 NW 6th Ave., 248-4700. 9 pm. $15. All ages.

BIKE CRAFT[SHOPPING] Christmas shopping isn’t just
for Suburban-driving suburbanites anymore—cyclists get their own massive
celebration of seasonal commerce by buying a leather bag from
Nomad-Unlimited, a cap from Double Darn Clothing or a sweet set of
fenders from Sykes Wood. Sandbox Studio, 420 NE 9th Ave., bikecraftpdx.com. 11 am-6 pm Saturday and Sunday. Free.

SUNDAY DEC. 2

THE MUSH FAIR[FUNGUS] As part of the broader Oregon
Mushroom Stories festival, you can view an “interactive zoetrope
sculpture” of the fungi life cycle by local artist collective Belly
& Bones, and purchase mushroom-growing kits, already-grown mushrooms
and mushroom-related gifts. The Cleaners at the Ace Hotel, 403 SW 10th Ave., oregonmushroomstories.org. 2-6 pm. Free.

TUESDAY DEC. 4

JOHN CALE[MUSIC] No matter what he’s done
throughout his long career, this 70-year-old musician and producer will
always be known as a founding member of the Velvet Underground. But
Cale, who was with the group only through 1967, has kept up a steady and
varied solo career since. New release Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood is engaging sun-kissed pop featuring a Danger Mouse collaboration. Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan St., 225-5555. 8 pm. $35 advance, $40 day of show. 21+.

PDX STRIPPIES[AWARDS] Proof positive that popularity
contests don’t end in high school, they just get dirtier: Portland’s
stripperati and profligate lechers gather at the Strippies—the Golden
Globes of globes—to anoint the cream of Portland’s exotic crop, from
best floor work to best haircut to that unholiest of holy grails,
Stripper of the Year. Star Theater, 13 NW 6th Ave., 248,4700, pdxstrippies.com. 8 pm. 21+. $10 advance, $13 door.